Police officers who could not find Zafran’s body for 2 days cleared by force watchdog

Zafran Nawaz was stabbed 120 times but still managed to call 999 himself and it took police 2 days to find his body.

The police officers that were sent to look for his body were cleared by the force watchdog.

At around 12:00am on 20 May 2015, Zafran Nawaz called 999 to say he has been stabbed.

He was not able to give a location but police were able to trace the call location to a Carlton Road, Bordesely Green.

Officers that responded to the call could not find any signs of violence or any kind of suspicious activity.

Zafran Nawaz body was found 2 days later on 22 may wrapped in a plastic sheet in a shed on Carlton road.

It was revealed in post mortem that Zafran was stabbed 120 times.

Akbar Khan, 20, was arrested and charged with Zafran’s murder.

He pleaded guilty and was jailed for life(minimum 20 years) at Birmingham Crown Court.

Akbar lured Zarfan to the empty house and stabbed him to death.

Even though Zafran was stabbed he still managed to call 999, police responded to the area where they received the call from but could not find his body.

Zafran was reported missing that same day by his wife.

The Independent Office for Police conduct, launched an investigation, examining the response officer’s actions to the 999 call from Zafran.

The police watchdog said the officers that responded the 999 call from Zafran did not notice anything suspicious and found no sign of disorder or violence.

And it decided the response was in line with police “policies and procedures”.

IOPC regional director, Derrick Campbell, said: “My thoughts are with Zafran’s family and friends, and everyone else affected by this terrible incident.

“While his killer was convicted of murder it was important that there was independent scrutiny of the actions taken by police after Zafran was reported missing.

“Our investigator concluded that officers acted in accordance with relevant policies and procedures, reacted to emerging evidence and information.

“This led to them identifying the address where Zafran was eventually found.”

After Khan was jailed, police revealed the brutality of the attack he suffered.

Det Insp Warren Hines, the senior investigating officer, said: “Most of the stab wounds – of which there were in excess of 120 – were to the back and the back of the head.

“There were also injuries consistent with dog bites to the victim’s arms and legs.

“Despite the number of injuries none was such that it would have caused instant death or incapacitation.

“Zafran Nawaz was reported missing by his wife and on May 22, myself and other officers attended Carlton Road and discovered Nawaz’s body wrapped in plastic sheeting, lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

“Khan was not present at the time of Nawaz’s body being discovered, he remained at large until May 28, when he went with his solicitor to Birmingham Central police station, where he was arrested for murder.

“I am relieved that Khan has entered a guilty plea to the murder of Zafran Nawaz thereby saving the victim’s family the trauma of a trial.

“Zafran leaves behind friends and family who are all absolutely distraught at their loss and my abiding hope is the guilty plea entered will allow them to begin the slow process of recovering from their sad loss.”